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Speakers blame permitting delays and federal‑land rules for transmission bottlenecks; call for NEPA, judicial and FERC reforms
Summary
The interview highlighted transmission constraints in Utah—around 70% federal land—that complicate interconnection and lengthen project timelines, and both speakers urged reforms to NEPA, judicial review, and a stronger federal siting role for interstate transmission.
Both speakers flagged permitting and interconnection as critical bottlenecks for new energy projects. The Utah official said nearly 70% of the state is federal land, which makes transmission siting slower and more complicated than states with more private land. He recounted a transmission project that began discussions a decade and a half ago and said the protracted process increased cost without environmental gains.
The Institute representative compared U.S. procedures unfavorably with many European systems, arguing that the combination of multi‑level review and plentiful avenues for legal challenges creates uncertainty that drives up financing costs and kills projects. They suggested reforms to judicial review and a larger federal role—such as giving FERC a stronger siting authority for multi‑state linear projects—could help shorten timelines and provide certainty to developers.
